


Spread Your Wings

by technocrusade



Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Terraria, Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Adopted Children, Adoption, Angst, Blood, Blood and Injury, Camp, Caring Technoblade (Video Blogging RPF), Chaos, Child Neglect, Demon Technoblade (Video Blogging RPF), Demon Wilbur Soot, Family, Family Dynamics, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Found Family, Gen, Good Older Sibling Technoblade (Video Blogging RPF), Good Older Sibling Wilbur Soot, Good Parent Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF), Hurt Technoblade (Video Blogging RPF), Hurt TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Hurt/Comfort, Hybrid Technoblade (Video Blogging RPF), Hybrid Wilbur Soot, Injury, Insecurity, Long-Haired Technoblade (Video Blogging RPF), Magic, Mischief, Music, Near Death Experiences, Older Sibling Technoblade (Video Blogging RPF), Older Sibling Wilbur Soot, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Parent Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF), Pranks and Practical Jokes, Protective Older Sibling Wilbur Soot, Protective Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF), Protective Siblings, Protective Technoblade (Video Blogging RPF), Protective Wilbur Soot, Protectiveness, Respawning, Scared TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Sleepy Bois Inc as Family, Swearing, Swordfighting, Swords, Swords & Sorcery, Technoblade Protects TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Terraria In Real Life, Terraria Realism, TommyInnit-centric (Video Blogging RPF), Travel, Twins Wilbur Soot & Technoblade, Wilbur Soot and Technoblade and TommyInnit are Siblings, not by phil, phil is good dad here, phil is very pog dad here if i do say so myself
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-13
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-13 07:35:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29398461
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/technocrusade/pseuds/technocrusade
Summary: “Today, Tommy, you are but a mere finch. But do not fret. Do not think too much about it. Over time, you will grow. You will fly and you will fall, you will reach greater heights and forget what the ground looks like and one day you will spread your wings only to find that you’ve become a stardust dragon.”Or: A collection of loosely connected short stories of SBI in Terraria.
Relationships: Technoblade & Phil Watson, Technoblade & TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Technoblade & Wilbur Soot, Technoblade & Wilbur Soot & TommyInnit, TommyInnit & Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF), Wilbur Soot & Phil Watson, Wilbur Soot & Technoblade & TommyInnit & Phil Watson, Wilbur Soot & TommyInnit
Comments: 13
Kudos: 129





	1. Introduction

**Author's Note:**

> also known as: sbi literally makes ONE terraria stream and author's terraria gamer brain goes "haha au go brr"

The rising sun paints the waking world in an orange glow, illuminating the land from east to west as it peeks from the horizon. The creatures of night flee from the light as the animals slowly stir from their slumber, and the other people of the village are starting to move about and get ready for the day ahead of them. A shrill chirp cuts through the silence of early morning, the small noise of flapping wings dying down as a finch lands on an outstretched finger.

Tommy smiles and coos at the finch that landed on him, cradling it close to his chest. The small bird gives an appreciative chirp before settling with the rest of its kind sitting on the branch he’s also on. He shifts a little bit to fix his position, trying to make sure he won’t accidentally fall off (again) because he’s sure an injury wouldn’t really be appreciated as of now. The fleeing touches of zephyr run through his messy blonde hair soothingly, bringing with it the fresh aroma of greenery and lulling him to close his eyes as he leans on the sturdy trunk. It’s rough, coarse and digs a little into his skin but it’s familiar and comfortable.

He had always enjoyed being with his finches. They had been around for far longer than he remembered, even before he had been taken in by his family. They were always around to protect him somehow, fighting for him even before he knew how to pick up a weapon. He doesn’t think he could ever go without them, though he knew one day he would have to leave them at home when facing stronger enemies. They were his friends before they were his minions, and he’d rather have them safe than risk leading them to a dangerous fight. He reminisces of simpler times, of childhoods spent running around fields with the only worry being slimes that his bird friends could easily take down anyway. He reminisces of days spent exploring the wonderful nature around him and of nights spent warm in the wide trunks of towering living trees. Nostalgia makes him fond, and before long he’s lost in his own memories and drifting off to dreamland once again.

A bolt of light suddenly shoots out and hits the bark of the trunk right next to him, and Tommy curses loudly as he startles awake and the birds fly off. He glares pointedly at the ground below as he hears familiar laughter.

“Wilbur!” He shouts, seething at his brother’s shit eating grin. “Are you fucking insane? You could’ve hit me! Or my finches!”

Wilbur is walking up from the path to the tree in all his combat-ready glory. Fluffy hair falls over his eyes, neat despite sitting under a wide rimmed brown wizard hat. Deep blue is draped over his shoulders and torso, the robe disappearing into dark pants and tall boots. He had always looked unfairly regal in the simple get-up, and it doesn’t help that he wields a staff and is rather well-versed in formalities. Despite appearances however, Tommy knows his brother is no different from an immature teenager with how much he decides to mess with him. Sure enough, he catches sight of a mischievous smile gracing his lips before they fall open to spout excuses.

"Now, now, Tommy, don’t be like that.” The older waves him off nonchalantly, spinning his diamond staff around in his hand. The gem looks a little brighter than it should be even under the daylight, indicating recent use. Not that he needed to make that observation when the still smoking hole right next to him very much communicates that fact already. “You were dozing off, I could clearly see it.”

“So you decide to wake me up by trying to kill me?” Tommy shrieks, pointing an accusatory finger. Wilbur, the fucking _menace_ , just chuckles in response. It’s so goddamn infuriating. He wants to punch the smug expression on his face like right now.

“I wasn’t trying to kill you.” He rolls his eyes in exasperation, knowing full well how much his older brother likes to test the boundaries of terrorizing him as far as humanly possible without actually hurting him.

“I could’ve fucking died if you made me fall off this branch.”

"Like that’s not going to happen with you fucking sleeping on it.”

“Can you two stop fighting for literally one minute? It’s way too early for this.” Another familiar voice groans, and they both turn to look at the newcomer.

Techno is rubbing his tired crimson eyes, clearly still sleepy despite probably having been awake for a while already. He only has a plain shirt and pants on, along with being half dressed in plated armor. His platinum greaves crunch against the manmade path as he walks up to them while grumbling something under his breath, probably cursing them for being so rowdy already. Techno had always been so easy to annoy, and now was clearly no exception especially when he’s forced to play mediator between his constantly bickering brothers.

“Techno!” Tommy whines loudly like it’s going to get his other brother on his side. “Tell Wilbur to stop being a bitch!” Said man is rightfully appalled and is quick to retaliate.

"No, tell Tommy to stop being a petulant child.” They glare at each other, only stopping when Techno lets out another exasperated groan.

“How about both of you stop being insufferable?” He grits his teeth, and that thankfully gets them to shut up. No one wants to mess with an actually angry Techno. He looks up to face his younger brother, moving towards the foot of the tree. “Tommy, get down from there now so you can at least eat before we head out. You still need to gear up as well.”

"Alright, brother dearest.” Techno’s eye visibly twitches, but he doesn’t end up saying anything. Tommy gracelessly rushes down the tree, and would have face-planted into the ground if not for Techno already anticipating the fall. This earns another snide remark from Wilbur, and the youngest would have immediately blown up at him again if not for Techno forcefully dragging both of them along on the path towards their house.

Over time, the animosity dissipates because of course it never really holds much water in the first place. They're brothers, after all, even if not bound by blood. They clash and argue but at the end of the day, they're the first to have each others' backs even if they won't admit it. That's why Tommy only grins when Wilbur levels him with a formidable glare. That's why they both start giggling after just a few more seconds, unable to really keep the act up for long. That's why Techno just sighs and smiles fondly at the sight of them, shaking his head as he leads the way.

They pass through the small manmade village along the way. The people had moved in over time, each with vastly different professions and personalities. The family had built them houses and given them shelter in exchange for their services, and over time they had grown closer in the mutualism. Tommy is energetic and waves to the Zoologist and the Dryad as he sees them about to enter the forest, probably to take care of the flora and fauna as he had done. Wilbur is amicable and makes small talk with the Wizard as he passes by, being promised more spellbooks and lessons. Techno is a lot more aloof and busies himself with braiding his long pink hair, but he does give a nod of acknowledgment to the Demolitionist when they meet eyes. The village is rather lively today, and it's genuinely uplifting.

Finally, they near the end of the path to a large house just a bit further from the more populated area. It stands tall, with two floors and a simple rustic design. It's nowhere close to grand or majestic; it doesn't have marble pillars or concrete foundations or embellished walls, but it's more than enough for Tommy. Marble pillars will never see the days that their timber ones had when they erected a home from the ground up, when they rose from nothing. Concrete foundations will never be as stable as their stone ones are with how they hold so much pressure, how they carry the weight of a small family's troubles all over the years. Embellished walls will never know the experiences their wooden ones do from childhoods spent within them, from joy and fondness contained in the space they protect from the outside world.

They walk through the front door. Phil is already in the living room, counting arrows and putting the suitable ones into his quiver. Several leather bags lay at his feet, presumably filled to the brim with all types of potions, food, tools and other commodities they would need along the way. Just the sight of them makes Tommy even more excited.

"Oh, you’re back.” Their father turns to face them, smiling as they all give him various iterations of morning greetings. Techno walks past all of them and back into his room to get fully suited up. “Tommy, when did you wake up?”

"Maybe an hour ago. I just went to the tree and stayed there until Wil and Tech came to get me.”

"He nearly fell off of it.” Wilbur pipes up, which is very unhelpful, mind you. Tommy turns towards him at neckbreaking speed.

"No thanks to you!” He accuses before turning back to Phil with a pleading look in his bright blue eyes. “Dad, he shot at me and everything!”

"It was calculated so that I wouldn’t hit you.”

"Wilbur, no shooting at your brothers please. No matter how good your aim is.” Phil says it like it's his thousandth time repeating it, which is probably correct. They've been in far too many similar situations in the past.

“Okay, dad.” Wilbur won't actually listen, and everybody knows that. “I’ll go and recheck the supplies. Won’t hurt to make sure we have everything.” With that, he takes the bags and walks towards the storage room.

Tommy ends up heading to the dining room, where he sees a plate with toast and eggs and promptly sits down to start eating. One of his finches find their way back to him again through the open window, and he smiles and hands it a few crumbs of his bread while continuing to eat in silence. He can't wait to go on the mining trip. Phil had found a large opening not too far from their home the other day, taking a quick dip in the darkness to confirm that it was indeed an untouched cave system. After a bit of thinking, they had agreed it would be best for all of them to go and explore it together and that just so happened to include Tommy, who had never been on such a big trip before. He's excited to finally see monsters up close and not from Techno's personal accounts, to finally see ore in cavern walls and not in Wilbur's hands.

"Well, aren't you looking forward to it?" Tommy looks up to see his father walking into the room, brandishing his trusty fiery orange Molten Fury bow and fiddling with the string to make sure it's not prone to snapping. He's decked out in the light Necro Armor; just with one glance you could tell what they were made out of and Tommy was always equally intimidated and awed by how Phil basically donned armor made of actual bones.

"Yep! I just think it's very pog for me to finally come along. We all know I couldn't go before because you were all just scared I'd be so good I end up cutting the trips early." They both chuckle a little at that, Phil approaching him to ruffle his hair a little despite the lighthearted protests.

"You’re not scared or anything?” Their father may be rather blunt, but they know now it's more out of concern than anything. “Caves can hold a lot of surprises. I’d explore it on my own, but it seems far too big. It’s a good learning experience, but if you want to back out you can.”

"Nope, I have you guys with me too anyway.” This earns him a fond smile, and of course Tommy doesn't want to be known as someone soft for his family so he immediately tries to move on from that admission. “I’m a big man anyway, I can handle some measly cave system!”

He finishes up his breakfast quickly, following his father back into the living room to see his other brothers already sitting there. Techno is now fully dressed in shining platinum armor, making him look as bulky and tanky as ever. He's sharpening the crimson-pink blade of his Starfury just a bit more in preparation, turning it in the sunlight peeking through their open windows to check if he can see his own reflection in them. Wilbur had already been dressed to go, just now humming out a familiar tune as he runs his hands over the expanse of his staff like he doesn't already memorize all its grooves and ridges from years of use.

What catches everyone's eyes, however, is the set of armor in the space of the couch between the twins. They can all tell it's Tommy's, having a singular T engraved onto one side from when he had first made this set on his own. Said boy steps forward, anticipation thrumming in his veins as he begins to put it over his clothes in the silence they give him. Finally, Wilbur puts his weapon into his hand, and he relishes in the feeling for a moment. He's all decked out. He's going to go on a trip with his family to explore mines and fight monsters and gather resources. _Holy shit. He's grown up._

“You ready, Tommy?” He doesn't know who said it exactly, but regardless he turns to all three of them with a beaming smile on his face as he finishes putting it on. He's decked out in full iron armor, with his minions on his shoulders and his fingers curled around his prized whip. He's come so far. No, they've come so far. They look so proud of him, and he can't help but be proud of himself too.

"You bet I am.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello everyone! i've decided to try something new with this fic. i wanted to practice dialogue, character dynamics and more dynamic scenes so here we go :D this is mostly experimental, so please forgive me if it doesn't quite come out right shdjhd personally i'm excited for how this turns out :DD
> 
> i'm trying to make it so that readers without experience/knowledge in terraria can still understand the general premise of this. there's definitely a plot, but i won't be going about it in a linear manner. rather it's just a bunch of short stories about their journeys along the way. that said, if you want, you can give me ideas for certain scenarios and i could assimilate it into the general plot one way or another. i don't have a proper update schedule for this yet, but i'll definitely try to do so at least once a week especially if there's requests.
> 
> i hope you enjoy it, thanks for reading :DD


	2. Childhood Shenanigans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little look into the past.

Tommy would like to think that he’s a rather peculiar individual.

After all, it’s not every day that people run into a child who had apparently been living in the hollow trunk of a massive living tree for as long as he’s remembered. It’s not every day that people run into a child who could apparently harness a charm of finches like they were his loyal minions, who had summoner capabilities far beyond what was normal for his age. It’s not every day that people run into a child who could live on his own with little problem, who could fend for himself in the event of immediate danger and was sharp enough to recognize it in the first place. He was just unique, special, and he simply embraced it.

When Tommy was a child, he never particularly felt sad over his solitude.

Even at a young age, he could tell that he had parents who loved him. The tree had clearly been a sanctuary, with its admittedly sturdy walls and protective mechanisms that had never failed him. The tree had clearly been a shelter, with its nearly endless supply of food and constant source of running water. Most of all, the tree had clearly been a home, with its cozy quarters and decorated rooms that were indicative of happy and comfortable inhabitants. It was just enough for him to be safe, to live and to be entertained. He spent his time reading books and drawing and exploring the expanse of his home. He was perfectly content, and he didn’t quite mind his situation.

It still begs the question of why he was alone.

He wasn’t abandoned, at least he doesn’t think so. It makes no sense for them to give him the world and simply leave. From his parents’ personal journals, he was more inclined to believe that they were adventurers who had just gotten lost or even met a worse fate. From what he could tell, the permanent departure had been abrupt and clearly unplanned. His parents’ room still had a lot of their belongings, like they were expecting to come back but never could. He doesn’t dwell on it too much. While he can’t remember them properly, he still does cherish them and wish the best for them. He was cared for, loved, and that’s more than enough. Besides, he was never truly alone when he had his finches by his side constantly. He could always trust them, sometimes even more than he trusted himself.

When Tommy was a child, he had always felt out of place.

It’s not like it’s particularly surprising, honestly. Phil had found him while exploring the fields biome, and like any responsible adult who had just found a child alone in the wilderness, he obviously took him in. He was experienced in handling children anyway, because when he had been brought home he met two older boys that had previously been in a similar situation then taken in as well. Thus, he had just been adopted by a family that had been together for as long as he’s been alive. It sometimes felt like he was intruding far too much, like he was a foreigner in an established home that was six years old. There had been memories, inside jokes, and vulnerable moments that he was never a part of. They weren’t exactly purposefully excluding him, in fact Phil had been quite accommodating and constantly tried to make him feel comfortable, but sometimes he just couldn’t help it.

Sometimes, he would walk in to Techno curled up on the ground and clutching his head with a pained expression on his face, and Phil would rush into the room and gently urge him out so they could deal with whatever it was in private. Sometimes, he would overhear Wilbur writing god knows what on a piece of paper and talking about a time he hadn’t been in, and Phil would laugh and reminisce with him like it was going to help with the little project he had apparently been working on. Sometimes, he would look out his window and see Techno and Wilbur sparring while hurtling nonsensical jabs at each other, occasionally smiling like they had brought up some kind of inside joke to be kept between them. Sometimes, he just couldn’t help but feel alone.

Like right now.

“Wilbur.” Tommy mumbles as he approaches them apprehensively, and they stop in their tracks to look back at him curiously. It’s a final effort to get rid of the ugly feeling at the pit of his stomach that constantly told him he just _didn’t belong_. “Could I please spar with you both?”

“Tommy.” To his credit, Wilbur looks genuinely concerned. Concern isn’t what he needs, though, rather he would prefer validation. He would prefer being included. “You’re too young.”

“I’m still strong.” He insists, the beginnings of the flames of determination flaring up in his eyes. That certainly had never changed as he grew up, his persistence always a constant in his life.

“Sure you are.” Techno scoffs with underlying worry, though Tommy was too young and blinded by what he wanted to really notice it at the time. “You’re like, half our age. What could you do?”

“Beat you.” He responds with a conviction he’s surprised he has. The sheer seriousness in his tone makes the twins laugh fondly, yet his vulnerable self sees it as ridicule instead.

“How would you when you don’t even know how we fight?” Wilbur is amused, genuinely curious and yet Tommy sees it as dismissiveness.

“Yeah. Say that again when you’ve been sparring with us for years.” Techno is intrigued, genuinely welcoming and yet Tommy sees it as being condescending.

“Or when you’ve finally finished Dad’s self defense lessons.” They’re both giving him a nudge towards the right direction, and yet Tommy sees it as being pushed away.

Children are naïve and foolish, and they say things without a second thought. They are blunt and straight to the point, and they wield their words without the knowledge that they are weapons. It may not be intentional, but they could be cruel sometimes. It certainly felt that way when tears came to Tommy’s eyes, when the other two didn’t move to comfort him, when he walked off into a random direction without being stopped. In truth, they had simply been too shocked by his reaction to really do anything about it in time.

Tommy had no real direction in mind. He didn’t really know where he went, and he didn’t know how to go back to his old home nor his new one so he simply moved a little slower. He didn’t want to stray so far lest he get lost, but he also wanted to get away if only for a brief moment. He followed what he knew best, which was the call of nature. He followed the aroma of thick flora, followed the distant sounds of wild fauna. Tree density got thicker and thicker, blades of grass grew sharper and sharper, and the dirt at his feet gradually became mud and… before he knew it, he found himself in the jungle.

He didn’t mind. If anything, he was rather calm. He didn’t know much about the jungle biome, but from what he saw in books it just seemed like nature amplified. Surely it couldn’t be so harmful if it was so beautiful. Exotic plants enticed him, their colors bright and tempting to the eye. He had never been to such a place, never seen such new sights and so he gets distracted. He fawns over every little flower and every little critter he runs into, his bright blue eyes committing everything to memory so he could see it on the backs of his eyelids and in his dreams. It was simply wonderful; he thinks praises as he runs his small hands over every surface possible. He treads his fingers through moss, holds leaves in his palms and finally rests against a large bulb that was sure to bloom into a magnificent flower. He gets lost in thought and imagines what color the petals would be and how many of it there would be, and he really doesn’t expect much else to happen.

So imagine his horror when the bulb twitches under his touch… and pulses… and rises to nearly the heights of the treetops. It opens up to reveal a gaping maw with rows upon rows of sharp teeth, and a slithering thin tongue dancing in the air. It curls itself around tree trunks, easily snapping branches with its thick vine bodice. It circles the immediate perimeter like it’s searching for something when it suddenly turns to face the child directly.

Tommy may have been foolish enough to wander off into arguably the most dangerous biome in existence, but he was not foolish enough to recognize the imminent threat he was faced with.

He scrambles to get on his feet, stumbling forwards as he tries to run away. He’s frankly terrified, scared out of his mind as the only thought he now has is to get away as soon and as far as possible. Alas, the shrubbery was thick and the mud clung to his shoes and he was travelling at an extremely slow pace whilst being extremely conspicuous. The plant had, of course, noticed him and had begun to snake towards him at incredible speed. It was closing in quick just behind him, its jaws spread wide open and its orifice ready to consume him and his eyes close instinctively in fear and−

“TOMMY!”

A small firewall whizzed past his head and hit the rapidly approaching enemy, and since it was a plant it had caught a small fire and let out an impressive roar. Still frozen in fear, he numbly feels himself being pulled along by the arm. He looks back up to see Techno with more emotion in his face than he had ever seen, and he follows his gaze to where Wilbur is standing a couple meters away with a hand outstretched and wielding his wand of sparking. His heart fills very distinctly with hope, in awe that his brothers had saved him just in time. Unfortunately, they weren’t in the clear just yet.

The fire was quick to snuff out, and the plant was even quicker to recuperate and start charging towards them again. He feels Techno’s grasp on him tighten, and adrenaline fills his veins even more when he realizes his brother is in just as much danger as him. He tries to move forward, he really does, but he’s only six and he has neither stamina nor grace so he ends up tripping on a tree root poking out of the ground. The grip on him disappears as he comes tumbling downwards, and he very distinctly hears Wilbur scream and feels another blast of heat go over his head. Unfortunately, the plant seems to have grown sharper since he hears the fireball hit the earth instead of leafy flesh, and he promptly prepares for death.

Except it doesn’t come, because he’s being shoved out of the way and the plant closes its jaws in on the ground where he used to be. He rolls across the ground on the impact until he comes to a stop at Wilbur’s feet, who immediately hugs him tight and pulls him away just a bit more to be safe. He leans into the warmth and lets himself cry, because near death experiences tend to mess with your emotions a lot and he’s just a child who was unprepared to deal with it. He hears a blade cut through vines and soon staggering footsteps start heading in their direction. Wilbur lets out a gasp and his arms tremble from around Tommy, so naturally he lifts his head from where it was resting in the crook of his brother’s neck and looks back at the sight that also makes him let out a similar gasp.

The plant has its jaws embedded into the ground, most likely stuck in the sticky mud. It’s body, however, had been cut off clean from where it connects to the bulb. However, the magnificent beast’s demise isn’t what catches his eye. Instead, his eyes are locked onto his other brother walking towards them and dragging his sword on the ground while clutching his side. His very much bloody and injured side. Both Tommy and Wilbur hurry to get up, nearly tripping over themselves as they rush over to their brother.

“Techno!” Wilbur’s voice is shaky, his eyes are wide and wild with panic. “I… You’re… We need to get you help!” Words fail Tommy, so he just tries to support his brother so he can stand properly. His brother, who had just dived into danger and saved him and killed whatever that was. Wow.

“Relax.” They don’t. They very much do not, cannot relax despite the calm tone of Techno’s voice. “It’s just a bunch of scratches. It grazed me, but it’s not deep.” Sure enough, when he pulls his hand back, it reveals an array of shallow lines that very much do not look like deep, gaping wounds. It calms them a little at the very least.

“… I’m sorry.” Tommy mumbles, and they both look at him almost incredulously. “I’m sorry you… got hurt. You had to save me and you… you put yourself in danger and…”

“Tommy.” Techno stops in his tracks and looks straight at him, pushing his pink hair out of his face so they can make proper eye contact. “It’s okay. You’re safe and that’s what matters. If an injury is what it takes to save you from death, then I’d take a thousand.” At Tommy’s horrified look, Wilbur chuckles and puts a hand on his shoulder in reassurance.

“What he means to say is…” Wilbur smiles gently, and it makes his chest feel really warm. He’s happy, he realizes. “He would protect you. Hell, I would protect you. We would protect you for however many times you need protection, and nothing will change that.”

“R… Really?” His voice nearly breaks, and he doesn’t know if he’s crying or sweating.

“Of course. Because we love you.”

Tommy’s eyes widen, and he has to choke back more tears. This is all he’s ever wanted. He finally, _finally_ feels at home. His brothers had acknowledged him, looked out for him, _loved him._ He doesn’t know why didn’t recognize it sooner, doesn’t know why he had been so blinded by his own insecurities when they were there to help him through it all along. It’s all he needed to hear, and it makes a much needed breath of fresh air rush through his lungs. It gives him the power and ability to say what he really wanted to from the start.

“I love you guys too.”

Techno and Wilbur both look at him with fond smiles, and soon they ruffle his hair and chuckle fondly. It’s not perfect, it probably won’t ever be. They still have their differences, still have things left unsaid and still have not quite established the bridges between them, but for now it’s okay. For now, he could throw himself into Wilbur’s arms and breath in the smoke clinging to his clothes, and it’s okay. For now, he could lean into Techno’s fingers treading through his hair and laugh as the blood on them stains his golden strands, and it’s okay. It’s more than okay, more than enough, and it’s the start to even further growth.

_(Tommy’s pretty sure they’ll nearly give Phil a heart attack when they get back, but that’s probably fine. He thinks. He hopes. He prays.)_

_(Spoiler alert: It was not fine. They’re all grounded. At least they promised to spar with him when the punishment was over and Techno was healed.)_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hell yeah protective siblings pog
> 
> i have no idea if the scene with the man eater turned out well. i can only hope i did. regardless, i have more ideas that are thankfully more comedic in the future, so just look out for that :DD


	3. Cave Trips

Wilbur hates times like these.

Now, don’t get him wrong, he truly does love Tommy from the bottom of his heart. He loves all his family equally, really, they’re more precious to him than they will ever know. They’ve been with him through thick and thin, through bright and dark times, through highs and lows, and he wouldn’t have it any other way. He wouldn’t trade them for the world, and he knows the feeling is mutual. He’ll admit, he has a bit of a soft spot for their youngest and he honestly believes he’s not alone in that. He can’t help it, okay? Something about Tommy just awakens all of the mushy protective instincts he doesn’t want to admit he has, despite them being so blatantly obvious. Ah, well, he doesn’t really think too much about it when he knows Tommy himself doesn’t mind.

Except sometimes, he wishes he loved Tommy a little less because it’s really not good for his fragile heart when he keeps pulling shit like this.

“Hey, Wilbur, I bet I can make that jump!”

“Tommy, no, wait, I didn’t put rope yet− TOMMY!”

Wilbur watches in horror as his little brother just fucking _jumps_ off the ledge and into the darkness below. He immediately drops the ores he had been holding to rush over, carefully peering over it and squinting to see if he can spot anything with the limited lighting. One can only imagine the sigh of relief elicited from him as he finally catches sight of Tommy waving at him from another ledge lower down on the opposite side, smiling that _stupid fucking proud grin_ that never fails to make one appear on his face too.

He has to slap himself to snap out of his stupor. Tommy always awakened a far more immature and rebellious side of him, and normally that would be fine if not for the fact he had to look out for both of them right now. The family of four had split into two for this mining trip as usual, with Techno and Phil exploring the caverns and leaving a mostly secure path for Tommy and Wilbur to gather resources without much trouble. He has to be responsible for both of them, so instead of recklessly jumping down to join him, he takes some rope they had packed and starts letting it down so they at least have a safe route back up.

“Did you see that? I was such a big man, Wilbur!” Tommy still hasn’t stopped grinning at him, chest puffed out in pride. He rolls his eyes lightheartedly, but nods regardless.

“Yeah, yeah, good job not dying, Tommy. Could you please start bridging with platforms here so I have something to land on when I get down the rope?” Wilbur blinks when a sudden memory comes to mind. “You do have platforms, right? Please tell me you didn’t forget them again.” Tommy just looks unamused and brandishes a bunch of wooden platforms in his hand, ready to be placed.

“Sure, just let me− AH!” Wilbur looks up in alarm at the sudden shriek to see Tommy just inches away from the edge, cornered by a skeleton quickly approaching. The rattling of bones rings clear in his ears, and the malicious glint of the large sword in bony hands catches his eye immediately. His heart leaps up to his throat, but he tries to remain calm and assess the situation in order to handle it properly.

A quick glance tells him that Tommy doesn’t have enough time to wield his whip from where he had stashed it in order to get a good jump. He curses as he rips his eyes away from the scene to look back at the things he dropped to spot his weapon among the scattered pile. He scrambles to his feet to grab the diamond staff, praying that his little brother was still safe in the few seconds he had been left alone. Thankfully, Tommy knows that he doesn’t have enough time to fight back and thus had started bridging to distance himself from the mob and buy Wilbur more time. That was more than enough, as he shouts for Tommy to duck and fires a bright bolt of light that hits his target square in the chest and makes the support system crumble and leave the skeleton as a harmless pile of bones on the cavern floor. There’s a moment of silence before Tommy visibly slumps onto the wooden platforms and relaxes his tense muscles and Wilbur audibly gives a sigh of relief and continues letting rope down, albeit with a bitter taste in his mouth.

If Tommy doesn’t die in the duration of this trip, Wilbur’s going to kill him himself. That was way too close, way too dangerous. He doesn’t waste time in letting himself down the moment the rope touches the platform Tommy had laid out on the bottom, ready to give him a piece of his mind.

“You. Fucking. Idiot!” He grabs Tommy by the shoulders, shaking him slightly as if to make sure he’s really there. He gives a quick scan for injuries, relieved to see that he only really has dust on him and is mostly unharmed. “What the hell were you thinking, just jumping off into unknown territory like that? You could’ve gotten stuck! We could’ve been separated! You could’ve gotten lost, or injured, or died!”

Wilbur huffs out, catching his breath after the explosive rant. Needless to say, he’s confused when Tommy just has a smug smile on his face like he didn’t just have a whole near death experience. “What?” He spits out.

“Wilbur, you do know I can respawn right?” Tommy’s smile widens when Wilbur’s grip slackens, like he had just come to a sudden realization. He groans at the teasing tone to his little brother’s voice that he knows will not leave for the foreseeable future. “You didn’t have to be so concerned.”  
  
  
“I was not.” Wilbur denies, letting go of Tommy and turning around as if to dust himself off.

“You were.” Tommy just puts a hand on his shoulder, and Wilbur swears he can feel his shit eating grin despite not even seeing it.

“No.”

“Yes.”

“I would never.”

“Oh, but you would. And you have, several times before.”

“Shut up, we have to get going.” Wilbur slaps away the hand, grabbing the list Phil had given them so he could review what they needed. He puts away his staff in favor of his pickaxe and torch, finally bringing some light to the cavern so they could easily navigate. “There’s resources to gather, ores to mine, gems to grab, and we don’t have all the time in the world.”  
  


“Whatever floats your boat, Wilby.” Tommy thankfully seems to let it go, following not far behind holding his own pickaxe and scouring the environment for more valuables. Though, Wilbur doesn’t miss how his little brother mutters a very small, “Thanks.” Against his will, a fond smile makes its way onto his face and his heart warms up in his chest.

Wilbur hates times like these, when he has to admit just how much he cares for his gremlin of a little brother. He’s just glad his twin isn’t there to make fun of him right now.

_(Though he doesn’t really escape the teasing because Tommy immediately recounts this event and other similar ones that happened over the course of their trip. He really does not appreciate Techno laughing at him when they both know full well he’d do the exact same thing if he were in his place.)_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this book is just slowly turning into me putting tommy into varying dangerous scenarios and his family members having to save him
> 
> and im not sorry


	4. Becoming a Father

Phil had never been a father.

He was an adventurer, in fact. He explored countless biomes, went through a thousand perils, and survived for years out in the wilderness. It’s a familiar activity, and he’s been doing it for as long as he could remember. He doesn’t know when he started or why he’s doing this exactly, but it’s not like he had much reason to do anything else. The world is full of beauty, in the people he meets and the animals he befriends and the plants he comes across. The world is full of beauty, and it’s largely undiscovered and untouched. There’s so much out there for him to see, and it only makes sense that he’d keep going under the notion that he would one day be satisfied.

That’s why he’s here, exploring the depths of hell. It isn’t exactly a pleasant time, but he goes along with it anyway because he has nothing better to do.

Hell is not a friendly place, even to adventurers like him with years of experience under their belts. Any regular person would die almost immediately upon coming across it, not that it was likely to be an accident. Usually the only natural entrances to hell would be deep, _deep_ down in the underground jungle. And the jungle in and of itself was its own breed of hell, with its thick forestry on the surface and its narrow chasms underground and its hundreds of mobs all out to kill you. Everyone knew to steer clear of jungles when unprepared, and to willingly venture into its caverns requires a lot more than just good equipment. Even if one were to somehow accidentally traverse the dangerous terrain and venture further downward unharmed and unaware, there’s no way they wouldn’t be able to recognize the telltale signs of where they are.

Hell’s surface is more lava than ground, the bubbling hot red liquid serving as oceans of death when one dangles precariously on the small ledges that barely have room for both feet. Mobs are most certainly everywhere, and they actively hunt intruders down like it’s a sport of some kind. Demons ruled the sky, the most common being large winged ones with surprising speed and small imp ones that had the ability to teleport onto neighboring ledges and shoot at you from afar with blazing fireballs. Lava slimes ruled the land, and true to their name they have a tendency of suddenly jumping from pools of lava and knocking into you in an effort to both burn you and push off the edge. If those weren’t enough, there were also small hellbats and large bone serpents that could ambush you from seemingly nowhere; you didn’t even have enough time to identify the threat before they barreled into you repeatedly from all sides. The only possible respite would be towering ruined houses made of dark obsidian and hellstone bricks, and even then there was also the threat of being cornered by demons or opening any door to find that the room had been filled with lava from the cracks in the old structure.

So imagine Phil’s surprise and horror when he sees children in the very same place.

There were two of them, and they looked to be about the same age. They are thankfully sat in the corner of one of the rooms of the ruined houses, looking relatively unharmed beyond the general signs of being in heat for far too long. One had wavy brown hair, with glazed over sienna eyes and sweating bullets as he held fistfuls of the other child’s cotton shirt in what seemed to be desperation. The other had strikingly pink hair and crimson eyes, seemingly worried enough to not even notice Phil enter the room. He has to clear his throat to make his presence known, putting his bow away when both of them turn to look in his direction with palpable fear radiating off them.

“My name is Phil.” He starts, wanting to make it clear that he’s a friend and not a foe. They seem to relax slightly at his welcoming smile. He continues, hoping that giving more information about himself encourages them to open up too. “I’m an adventurer just exploring the place. Just looking for rare resources or old chests I could probably bring with me back to the surfaces.”

“I’m Techno.” The pinkette speaks up, a twinkle of awe in his crimson eyes now that he knows that Phil is both friendly, and really, _really_ cool. “This is my twin brother Wilbur. We’re six years old.”

“It’s dangerous here.” That’s all Phil manages to say in response, not entirely sure how to approach the situation. He hasn’t interacted with a lot of children before, much less those that clearly don’t belong in such an environment. They weren’t even old enough to be let out on their own, yet here they were.

“We know.” Techno says with a startling amount of calm for a child this young stranded in what could be the deadliest biome of all time. “We’re in hell, right?”

“Yeah, we are. What brings you both here?”

“Mom took us here.” It seems that Techno doesn’t notice the sharp inhale the adventurer takes at that, because he just carries on. Phil doesn’t think he truly understands the gravity of the situation nor the implications of those words, and his lack of knowledge about his situation only makes things worse. “Cuz we’re demons and it’s where we belong, she said.”

“What about your dad?” Phil is understandably horrified but still manages to calm himself to ask a question, albeit a little hesitantly. He doesn’t know if he should even bring up their parents, but thankfully it doesn’t seem like such a big deal to Techno.

“He’s a demon. Mom found out that he was, and he left. We were looking for him, but I don’t think we can ever find him again.”

_Ah_ , that explains a few things. So their mother had been talking literally, not that it means her actions are excused whatsoever. Techno had definitely gotten more of the genes on the physical side, with his hair and eye colors. In fact, he was almost sure he saw especially sharp canines when the child talked. Wilbur didn’t look much like a demon, though if you looked at his eyes for long enough you could certainly tell they were more dark red than brown. Phil certainly is not too familiar with the concept of hybrids and their inner workings, but he does have the basic knowledge to know that these twins most likely inherited some form of demon power as well. There’s a wide and diverse array of those, ranging from just simple enhanced senses to some types of magic. There wasn’t any big stigma around hybrids as far as he knew, but the term demon hybrid could definitely scare off a few people with demons’ reputation as a whole.

Demons were known to be powerful and territorial, with a seemingly bottomless supply of strength and lacking the slightest hint of mercy. Demons were known to be vicious and aggressive, with fangs bared in constant battle mode and angry growls serving as their only form of semi-coherent communication. Demons were known to be monsters, and yet all Phil sees when he looks at Techno and Wilbur are a pair of abandoned children. Demons were known to be savage, and yet all Phil sees when he looks at Techno and Wilbur are lost creatures looking for a home in a world that hasn’t given them one. He sees them as not as brutes but as kids to protect, kids to nurture and provide a proper upbringing, kids to take under his wing and care for.

Phil had never been a father, but in a situation like this, he finds that he should learn to be.

He reaches into his satchel, taking out a bottle of water. He thanks the fact that he always makes sure he’s prepared before embarking on any perilous journey, stocked with food and potions to the brim. He walks towards them and hands Techno an apple, which the pinkette happily accepts and gives his thanks with a small smile. It would be good to get some light food into his system, and apples were high in water content too so that would definitely help nourish him.

“I think Wilbur might be dehydrated.” He gestures towards the other child, dazed and mostly unresponsive. He’s definitely not in any danger of dying, but it’s not a good thing to have him sick either. It’s not pleasant to watch anyway. “May I?”

“Okay.” At the affirmative, he gently holds Wilbur and coaxes him into drinking at least a few sips of water. Techno watches on in worry. “I don’t know why he’s sick though. I feel fine.”

“That’s probably a demon power you have. You deal with heat better.”

“Oh.” Techno has moment of realization that has him staring at his half-eaten apple for a few seconds, making Phil chuckle a bit. He then tugs on his sleeve and looks up at him to ask a question. “That’s pretty cool. Do you know if Wilbur has powers too?”

“I’m sure he does, we’ll figure it out eventually.” Phil stands up to dust himself off when Techno has finished eating and Wilbur has drunk around half the bottle. “Is it okay if I take you guys with me to the surface? We shouldn’t be here for too long, it’s not safe.”

“Okay. We don’t have anywhere else to go anyway.”

Phil’s heart clenches painfully at that, and in that moment he promises to himself not to leave them no matter what.

The quickest way out would obviously be straight through the underground jungle, but it’s also the riskiest. There’s danger every step of the way, from traversing hell to climbing up dark and narrow chasms. There would be hostile mobs everywhere, and Phil isn’t sure if he can properly defend himself and the children at the same time in such conditions. Even if they leave hell, it’ll feel like nothing would have changed with countless enemies still in their path. Most of all, once they make it out of the caverns, they still have to make it out of the thick forest and marshes that make up the jungle surface. Those could stretch on for thousands of kilometers, and there would still be a lot of danger in the form of toxic plants and sentient predators.

Thankfully, they didn’t have to go through there. All he needed to do was find a tunnel they could pass through in the lower underground jungle that could hopefully take them to another biome’s underground so that they didn’t have to traverse the jungle at all. It would still be difficult, but it’s bearable considering they weren’t too far from the entrance he came from. He remembers finding a few promising looking tunnels that could potentially be their exit. He prays it would lead them into a much safer biome, like fields or a forest.

There was no way he was going to be able to shoot a bow, so he slings it over his back and holds onto the handle of his sheathed sword. He hopes he isn’t too rusty at least, as the lack of range was already crippling enough. He puts down his satchel and holds Wilbur to his chest, hoisting him up with one hand. The six-year-old instinctively tightens his arms around his neck and his legs around his torso, mumbling something incoherent into his shoulder. Phil softly urges him to sleep, patting his back soothingly for a bit before turning to the other child.

“Techno, while I carry your brother, could you hold onto that for me? I’m sorry if it’s a bit too heavy, but I need to be able to carry Wilbur properly while still being able to defend all of us.” He smiles apologetically even when the child simply gives a small nod. He’s a little astonished when Techno picks it up with relative ease, slipping the strap over his small frame and running over to the door of the room like he isn’t carrying anything at all.

“It feels fine to me.” Perhaps enhanced strength was another power of his. Phil simply follows Techno, ruffling his hair a little and reveling in the way his chest puffs out in pride.

Their journey is relatively smooth. Phil simply backtracks in his steps, pleased to see that there aren’t any mobs in their path after he cleared them out earlier. Techno is silent and follows not too far behind, sharp and smart enough that Phil doesn’t have to tell him to go inside the first tunnel they come across. Most mobs don’t notice them passing by in the cover of darkness, and Phil thanks that Techno seems to understand what’s going on. There’s only one real skirmish, having come across a large gray slime blocking their path. Phil cuts it down with no hesitation and they step around its sticky residue as they carry on, and soon enough they meet daylight again when they emerge onto the surface and in a fields biome. It's wide and flat and expansive, and it's the perfect place for them right now.

Immediately, Phil sets up camp so that they have a temporary place to settle. They have to pack up and leave eventually, but for now it was more important to have the boys rest and recuperate. Wilbur has long since passed out, and even Techno seems like he’s about to fall asleep on his feet. He puts up his tent quickly, giving his extra sleeping bag to the twins and tucking them in for a nap as he starts up a small campfire to make food for when they wake up.

The days pass them by after that. Wilbur recovers quickly, and quickly makes his impression as a friendly and surprisingly eloquent kid. Both of the twins are incredibly intelligent and mature for their age, which might be because of their hybrid side. Phil isn’t complaining honestly; it makes them much easier to handle especially for someone as inexperienced as him. They understand fast and learn even faster, and Phil gives them all the knowledge in the world to keep in mind and hone into their instincts. They still have a lot to learn after all, about both the world and themselves. They have a lot to learn about their surroundings, their partial humanity, and the abilities that separate them from the rest of the population.

Speaking of their hybrid side, after just a few weeks Phil has pretty much determined what their powers were. Techno has a generally stronger and more resistant body, making him less prone to getting sick and more powerful. He also sometimes has whispers of voices in his head with a penchant for violence, which has led to a few unfavorable situations especially when he didn’t know how to properly control his strength. Wilbur has an affinity for magic and a compelling voice, making him incredibly persuasive and allowing him to utilize mage’s weapons far better than what was usual for his age. He also just has a natural charisma that allowed him to get away with a lot of things, oftentimes breaking them out of sticky situations by masterfully diffusing the tension.

Phil takes them and their specialties in stride. Memories are made, bonds are formed, and before long they’ve grown as close as a family. There are good and bad moments, but cracks in the bridges between them are eventually fixed and reinforced to become stronger over time. Phil becomes ‘dad’ and Techno and Wilbur become ‘sons’, and it just feels right. It just feels right, in the countless meals shared and the thousand nights sleeping next to each other and the hundred endeavors they’ve been through. Phil watches them laugh and cry; he watches them fall and get back up again, watches them make mistakes and learn. He watches as Techno holds onto his first blade with conviction, watches as he masters the art far beyond the basics he had taught him. He watches as Wilbur picks up his first instrument with glee, watches as he absorbs and goes beyond the information in the books he had given him. He watches, with a warm feeling in his chest and pride seeping into his smile as they grow up.

Techno grows to become an adept warrior. He listens to the voices that crave for blood, and translates that into the elegance at which he takes down his foes. He hones the strength he was blessed with into something more, and surpasses boundaries with his newfound drive to become the perfect fighter. He trains his combat alongside his intelligence, boasting an extensive knowledge on ancient literature and an affinity for agriculture. He is only twelve years old, and has already shown to the world his prowess.

  
Wilbur grows to become a skilled musician. He listens to his heart that craves for melody, and translates that into the grace at which he plucks strings on a guitar. He hones the voice he was blessed with into something more, and surpasses boundaries with his ignited passion to become the exceptional virtuoso. He trains his musicality alongside his magic, showcasing a wide array of skills ranging from healing to telekinesis and a sharp mind when it came to strategy. He is only twelve years old, and has already shown to the world his capabilities.

They explore lands together, never really finding the need to settle in one place for far too long. They meet new people, traverse new biomes, discover new information and they do it all as one. Phil basks in the thrill of adventure, Techno revels in the excitement of different foes, and Wilbur beams at the prospect of new instruments and diverse audiences. There’s so much of the world they’ve seen, so much they’ve learned and come to familiarize themselves with. There’s so much of the world out there for them to see, so much for them to experience and live through. There’s so much of the world they’ve seen and have yet to see, and yet nothing could ever possibly be more valuable than this exact moment.

Phil had learned to be a father, and when he sees the young boy sitting in the hollow inside of a living tree with messy blonde hair and curious bright blue eyes, he puts that knowledge to use once again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> twins origin story pog??? dadza centric chapter pog??? i went a little overboard but shhh its fine sjfsf
> 
> anyway! :D so i decided to have a more solid update schedule for this fic even when its more of a casual one where i can mess around with sbi dynamics. expect like, 1-2 updates sometime during weekends unless something comes up. i also might randomly update in the middle of the week if my schedule allows it 
> 
> i hope you enjoyed it, thanks for reading :DD


	5. Menaces

Techno and Wilbur are both menaces even without powers.

They’re just the right blend of personalities and the right amount of intelligence to work together seamlessly. Wilbur is the right amount of insistent and chaotic, and Techno is the right amount of passive and apathetic. Wilbur had a creative mind and an even more creative way of going about his ideas, and Techno couldn’t care less what his twin dragged him into so long as it was entertaining and not too bothersome. Of course, Wilbur being a smart kid who also knew his brother quite well, often properly gauged just the right amount of fun and work that kept Techno engaged. They made for quite a fearsome combination, both for Phil and for any unfortunate soul who became the target of their antics. Sadly, those two often ended up being the same person.

Countless of times Phil was caught in harmless pranks, often being questionable things that don’t exactly affect him too much so he lets it slide. They were just children after all, it’s no wonder they act like that. He just sits there with an exasperated yet fond smile as the twins grow comfortable enough to mess around with him, playful and teasing instead of cautious and afraid like they had been when they first met. They spent their days entertaining themselves with silly endeavors, from stupidly funny guitar sounds to elaborate games of pretend where Wilbur often played god. The most memorable time was Wilbur going on a tangent about eating sand, with Techno apparently there to back him up in what became a mock debate.

And yet, even with all that, Techno and Wilbur are even more of menaces with their powers.

It’s almost impressive, really. Phil hadn’t thought they could get even more chaotic, but clearly he was wrong. Techno has an impressive amount of physical strength, and Wilbur has a knack for magic from his hands and magic in his words. They’re both powerful in their own rights, but of course they decide to use it for mischief before anything else. They quickly learn to utilize them for even more ridiculous stunts, and Phil quickly learns to expect even more ridiculous sights every time he takes their eyes off them for more than five minutes.

He started finding large and heavy objects in places where they should not be, started searching for the annoying guitar that had been hidden and strumming itself repeatedly using magic, started finding himself make silly poses and things under Wilbur’s persuasion. He rolls his eyes initially, but always finds himself eventually laughing along and ruffling their hair in fondness. He relishes the halfhearted complaints he gets about messing up their hair, and only pulls them in close when they start to try running away. And, of course, what kind of father would he be if he didn’t tickle them every once in a while? His fingers wiggle menacingly, eliciting shrieks before they even come in contact with their sides. He laughs at their misery and only stops when they’re breathless, smug grin in place as a reply to adorable glares. They had to get their playfulness from somewhere, after all.

Phil is just glad that Tommy doesn’t have any powers, and will therefore be less of a chaotic gremlin. He hopes. He prays. Yes, of course he says that to himself, Tommy had to get that habit from somewhere, after all.

_(When he comes back to the sight of Tommy precariously being held up in the air by a flock of finches, he decides he doesn’t even need powers to be a menace.)_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just a short one today :DD


End file.
